Method for treating a hydrocarbon feed stock with a solution of toluene sulphonic acid and sodium meta arsenite



Feb. 24. 1948.

G. H. SHIPLEY, JR, ETAL 2,436,494 METHCD FOR TREATING A HYDROCARBON FEED STOCK WITH A SOLUTION 0F TOLUENB SULPHONIC ACID AND SODIUM META ARSENITE} Original Filed May l2, l945 2 u \E O E E 2 .5 z E E E E g 8 i n a: m g 4 1 I T N F i L g l l ii 1.. wk L o N E, A 0 N a g g 5 3 g G. L z .2 s v r F m e i s E :1 g 4 O .5 g 'NVENTORJ. wax mm 1L. 3 3

Patented Feb. 24, 1948 2 3 4 4 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD FOR TREATING A HYDROCARBON FEED STOCK WITH A SOLUTION OF TOLU- ENE SULPHONIC ACID AND SODIUM META ARSENITE of Delaware Original application May 12, 1945, Serial No.

Divided and this application March I, 1947, Serial No. 733,236

The present invention is concerned with a process for treating hydrocarbons in which the hydrocarbons are contacted with an anhydrous aryl sulionic acid. More particularly, the invention rea small quantity of arsenic to the aryl sulfonic acids and then employ the mixture in services in which the aryl sulfonic acids have been found beneficial. We may add arsenic as the element or as a compound and when the compound is used, we may use sodium meta arsenite, arsenic trioxide, arsenic acid, arsenic pentoxide or any other arsenic compound which will dissolve readily in the catalyst solution.

It will be found desirable to maintain the arsenic in the catalyst within the range of 0.013 to 0.0013 gram moles of arsenic per 100 grams of catalyst solution, that is to say, the arsenic in the catalyst will ordinarily be less than 1 percent by weight of the total mixture and'usually less than .5 percent by weight will be required. In some instances. as little as 0.1 percent by Claims. (Cl. 260-674) weight of arsenic is effective in reducing the corrosivity of the aryl sulfonic acid in organic solutions to the extent that ordinary steel equipment may be satisfactorily employed.

lates to the catalytic treatment of hydrocarbons in a The type of reaction in which the present inwhich a catalyst comprising an aryl sulfonic acid vention finds use is in treating hydrocarbons to and arsenic is employed. remove undesirable constituents, for example, re- This application is a divisionof U. 8. Serial moving olefinic materials from toluene, con- No. 593,456, filed'May 12, 1945, now Patent No. densation and polymerization reactions, desul- ,423 3 no iurization of hydrocarbons and in many other It is known to treat hydrocarbons with aryl catalytic reactions. The invention is especially sulfonic acids to remove sulfur, to improve the useful in preparing nitration grade toluene in color, or to enhance the octane number of the which small amounts of olefins cannot be tol-- hydrocarbons. It is known to treat hydrocarbons erated. in the vapor phase with a solution of aryl sulfonic w The sulfonic acid may be selected from the sulacid in an organic solvent; it is also old to treat ionic acids including benzene sulfonic acid, tolhydrocarbons with aqueous solutions of sulfonic uene sulfonic acid, naphthalene sulfonic acid acids. In the particular instance when aqueous and any other of the aryl sulfonic acids which solutions are employed, the aryl sulfonic acids may be available. y do not exert a catalytic efiect, but are conm The solvent employed is preferably an aromatic sumed in the operation and are rejected from hydrocarbon. Benzene, toluene and the homo- I the process as a sludge formed with the reaclogues of this series of compounds are especially tion products. useful in this respect. It will be desirable to Employment of the aryl sulfonic acids in an employ from about 5% to 60% by volume of the organic solution is disadvantageous by virtue 2g aryl sulfonic acid in the solvent. Usually a 30% of the fact that the solution is highly corrosive to 50% solution will form an effective catalyst. to ordinary steels and requires special alloys of The reactions may be carried out in the vapor steel or copper-bearing metals for safe handling. or liquid phase. Ordinarily when operating in It is disadvantageous. to use the aqueous soluthe liquid phase, pressures will be employed to tion of the sulfonic acids since this results in so provide liquid phase conditions for the hy oconsumption of the treating reagent as well as carbon. The temperatures at which the present consumption of the hydrocarbon undergoing invention is conducted may vary from about treatment. to d pending on the type of hydro- We have now found that the disadvantages of carbon being reacted. When treating toluene for the prior art may be overcome by employing th 35 removal of olefins with the toluene in the vapor aryl sulfonic acids as solutions of the anhyphase, it will be desirable to employ a temperdrous acid in an organic solvent provided arsenic ature of about 240 to 250 F. These conditions or a compound of arsenic is present during the are particularly suitable when a solution of tolreaction. In accordance with the present invenuene sulfonic acid dissolved in toluene containtion, we realize this beneficial effect by adding 40 inc rsenic or its compounds is the treating medium.

The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawing in which the single figure represents one embodiment. It will be understood that the following descriptiongiven in conjunction with the drawing of the treatment of toluene for removal of olefins is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be considered as limiting our invention to the specific embodiment.

Referring now to the drawing numeral Ii designates a charge line through which toluene is introduced into the system. The toluene is heated and vaporized in heater l2 and is brought to a temperature of about 250 F. I The heated and vaporized toluene discharges from heater I! by way of line it into contact zone ll which, in this particular instance, is shown as a tower,

ammo

toluene solutions containing 50 weight percent toluene sulionic acid containing. in one instance,

. 0.2 weight percent arsenic pentoxlde and in ancatalyst passes downwardly through thepack'dsection ll of contact zone II and meets the ascending toluene vapors flowing upwardlytherethrough. Treated hydrocarbons eirn'n'gefrom zone 14 by way of line ll while the catalyst ac cumulating in zone I8 is withdrawn by line ll, cooled in cooler 20. and discharged by-line' 2| into settling zone 22. In settling zone 22'. the'c'atalyst is separated from any polymers which may have been formed in contact zone 14 and the separated catalyst is withdrawn from zone 22 byline 23 for recycling by lines 24 and l'lback into contact zone i4. Line 11 is provided with heater 2! for ad- Justment and maintenance of the proper temper-- ature of the catalyst. A drawofl! is provided by valve 26 in line 23 for discard'oi' used catalyst.

and valve 21in line H is provided for introduction of make-up catalyst containing arsenic pentoxide.

Any polymers which accumulate in the catalyst separate therefrom in zone 22 and may be withdrawn by opening valve 28 in line 3'3, or preferably may be retained in the system by'routing them to line 30 controlled by valve 2i along with the treated material in line II to fractionation zone 32.

Fractionation zone 32 is provided with a heating means 33 for adjustment of temperatures. and

- pressures, line 34' for withdrawal of polymers and other heavy material, and line 35 for withdrawal of the product. 7

The proddct, issuing as vapors through line 35. is condensed and cooled incondenser 38 and has introduced thereinto, byway of line 37, an alkaline reagent. The mixture of alkaline reagent and treated hydrocarbon passes'through an incorporator device 38 wherein it is intimately contacted before flowing through line 33 into settling zone 40. Settling zone 40 is oi sufllcient capacity to provide residence time for separation by gravity of the alkaline reagent and the treated hydrocarbon. The treated hydrocarbon is withdrawn from zone 40 by line H. The alkaline reagentis discharged by line 42 and is recycled by branch line 43 into line 31. Line 42 contains a valve 04 for discard of used alkaline reagent and line 31 contains a valve 45 for introduction of fresh alkaline reagent.

Prior to the present invention, the ferrous meta1 equipment making upcontact zone l0, settling other instance 0.2 weight percent sodium meta arsenite. The steel strips were allowed to remain in the boiling solutions for 72% hours, after which they were removednivashed, dried and weighed. In the first instance where the boiling solution was inhibited with arsenic pentoxidathe corrosion rate was found to be 0.001 inch penetration per year, while in the second instance when sodium meta arsenite was present,

the corrosion rate as evidenced by penetration of the metal was 0.003 inch per year;

It will thus be seen that by the practice of the present invention, it is possible to employ ordinary steels in treating hydrocarbons with organic solutions of the aryl sulfonic acids which results in a considerable savings in capital expenditure.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been fully described and illustrated, what we-wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A process for treating a hydrocarbon feed stock which comprises contacting the feed stock with a solution comprising a major portion oi aryl sulfonic acid and a minor portion of sodium meta arsenite dissolved in an organic solvent at 2, temperature within the range from 100 to 2. A process for treating a hydrocarbon feed stock which comprises contacting the feed stock with a solution comprising aryl sulionic acid within the range of 30 to volume per cent and sodium meta arsenite within the range 01 0.0013 to 0.013gram moles per 100 grams of solution dissolved in an organic solvent at a temperature within the range of 100 to 400 F.

'3. A process for treating a hydrocarbon feed stock which comprises contacting the feed stock with a solution of toluene suli'onic acid and sodium meta arsenite dissolved in an aromatic solvent at a temperature in the range of 100 to 400 F., said solution comprisingtoluene suli'onic acid within the range of 30-1-50 volume per cent and sodium meta arsenite within the range of 0.0013 to 0.013 gram moles per 100 grams oi solution.

4. A method for removing olefins from toluene which comprises contacting superheated toluene zone 22, and connecting lines became rapidly corroded by the action oi'the toluene sulfonic acid. The corrosion rate was so severe that under some conditions as much as 2.5 inches of the metal per year was penetrated. Undersimilar conditions when arsenic pentoxide is used in the amount of 0.2% by weight, the corrosion rate is reduced to 0.001 inch per year penetration of the metal. Similar results are obtained with sodium meta arsenite and other'arsenic-containing materials.

In order to illustrate the invention further, a I

steel strip was immersed in a boiling toluene solution containing 50 weight per cent anhydrous toluene sulfonic acid. After 27.hours exposure in the boiling solution, it was observed that the corrosion of the steel strip as reflected .by the penetration rate .in inches. per year was 2.52; Similar steel strips were immersed. in boiling vapors in a solution at a temperature no less than atmospheric and comprising toluene sulionic acid and a minor portion oi sodium meta arsenlte dissolved in an aromatic solvent.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 in which said solution comprises toluene sulfonic acid within the range of 30 to 50 volume per cent and sodium meta arsenite within the range of 0.0013 to0.013 gram moles per grams of solution. i

' GEORGE H. SHIPLEY, JR.

GLENN W. WILSON. Jn.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,055,416 Moser Sept, 22, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 388,547 Germany Jan. 15, 1924 437,864 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1935 

